WEPL Shetty in fine form as House topple leaders

PARIKSHITH Shetty top-scored on 67 and followed up with a haul of 5-38 – including the wicket of Shay Sainsbury for 139 – to clinch a ninerun triumph for Twyford House away to leaders Bristol 2nds in the WEPL’s Bristol & North Somerset division.

The all-rounder shared a secondwicket stand of 120 with opener Alec Bosomworth (47), while Matt Collins (48) then lifted the visitors to a total of 270, as Bobby Brown captured 3-22.

Bristol’s reply was built around a tremendous innings from Sainsbury, a Clifton College pupil also marking his mark for Gloucestershire Under-18s.

At 241-4, the home side appeared to be in the driving seat. But skipper Sam Brewer perished for 28 with Sainsbury following soon after as Twyford put the squeeze on and closed out the win. Sainsbury faced 123 balls and hit 14 fours and three sixes before being caught off spinner Shetty, who received fine bowling support from seamers Trotman (2-37) and Tom Armfield (1-35, both from nine overs).

New leaders are Golden Hill who were also made to work hard for a 21-run victory away to Stapleton.

Cyrus Shafi’s patient 57 and 28 from Tayyab Riaz helped the visitors reach 169, as Andy Hughes and Ghulam Shabbir both bagged three wickets apiece.

Riaz, who has already thumped two centuries this summer for Golden Hill, then produced a match-winning spell of 5-51 from nine overs, well supported by Shafi (3-16), to deny the home side, for whom skipper Olly Sharp topscored on 37.

Russ Wakefield (74) and Antony Cains (50) were in form for Keynsham, who saw off Bristol West Indian Phoenix by 73 runs, while Congresbury clinched their first win of the campaign, trumping Brislington by 20 runs. Skipper Justin Yau top-scored on 53, while Jack Richardson returned 3-45.

A captain’s knock from Joe Brimble, who finished unbeaten on 58, saw Knowle to a three-wicket home defeat of Old Bristolians Westbury, despite Will Penny’s 4-40.

» Bristol underlined their promotion credentials with a nine-wicket crushing of Winterbourne to move up a place to second in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset.

The home side were restricted to 162-7 by Tommy Probert (2-23), Dan Jones (2-34) and Miles Kantolinna (2-45). The target presented few problems for Bristol who cruised to the points in the 28th over with opener Nic HalsteadCleak (60) and Kantolinna (51) sharing an unbroken stand of 110.

Frome are the new leaders thanks to a 46-run home victory against Weston-super-Mare.

Bishopston’s hopes of a fourth successive win came unstuck at Midsomer Norton, who chased down 186 for the loss of only four wickets with almost 15 overs in hand. Nick Pang (74) and Tom Hankins (53 not out) took charge.